Fever Dream
by Kaiser Wilhelm
Summary: Lee has always had an interesting relationship with Neji, but why is it that one brush with death can change everything?


***It's that time of month again! That's right! It's time to torment ****yggdrasilxxx**** with my random oneshots that have a striking inability to portray Neji and company in character. What fun! (I 3 you, ****yggdrasilxxx****). I've been reading Faulkner as of late…so if there are a lot of random jumps in time, don't blame me! Blame AP English!! Ah, the pain! Yeah, so does anyone else think that Lee and Gaara have great chemistry together, no matter what situation they're in? I mean whether they be getting married or trying to kill each other (or both…thank you Maldoror_gw), the two of them just work. They're almost at the Goku-Vegeta level (at least in my mind). It's really too bad that they don't have that many scenes together in the canonverse. Well, I suppose that's what fanfics are for. **

Lee had never been so happy as when, after what seemed like years of waiting, he dashed—nay, sprinted—to the hospital. His leg felt so very _normal_. He no longer felt like some distorted version of a fairy tale, in which every time that he walked, it felt like knives were piercing the sole of his foot, driving up through his leg clamping and pinching every God-forsaken nerve until it reached his hips. The pain had been unreal, and it had not been the kind of ache that one usually felt from overuse of the muscles. No, it had been acute. It had been sharp. It had been unbearable. But now, now he could run free. He no longer had to bear the unspeakable agony with every singly step. In fact, he was barely thinking about the swift motion of his legs. It just felt so natural. He was well now.

He just wished he could say the same for his friends. Neji. He remembered why it was that he began to run. It was all for Neji, his dearest friend. He was in the hospital still; after all, it was only days after the failed Sasuke-retrieval mission.

Lee remembered the horror of that day. Oh, how he remembered. He remembered the helplessness as he watched the five of them walk away. Lee himself had still been having trouble walking. And Neji had helped him down the stairs. He had let Lee rest on his shoulder. Neji had become his crutch, but then again, Neji had always been his crutch. The brunette was one of the few reasons that Lee was able to get up time after time. Lee had always told himself that his only desire was to grow stronger than Neji so that he could prove the pompous boy wrong and defeat him in combat. Lee shook his head at that thought. How untrue. Lee had not realized it at the time, but he had been frustrated because of Neji's ability to always protect Lee during missions. The brunette had treated it as a burden, but Lee knew that he would have never championed the weaker boy unless he had desired to. Lee felt something strange well up in his chest the day that he had realized that. It was deep and real. Lee did not want to best Neji to defeat him. Lee wanted to best Neji to protect him.

It was unspeakably true. Lee had an image of what it would be like. It was rather odd to say the least. He could see his Neji collapsed from chakra-exhaustion from fighting far too many opponents, from performing one Kaiten too many. Lee could see him as his knees buckled, as his eyes rolled back and closed, as he swooned. The enemy would grab him by the shirt, prepare for the killing blow, but the antagonist would not get a chance to harm a hair on his precious brunette's head. No, Lee would be there in an instant, being Neji's crutch for once, and defeat the enemy. It would be a long, arduous battle, but no matter what, the black-haired boy would win. And with the enemy subdued, Lee would go to his unconscious brunette, the very same boy who taijutsu-specialist had laid down so gently and lovingly at the beginning of the battle. Lee would pull Neji into his lap, sit down against a tree, and begin nursing both of their wounds.

Then, that Hyuuga of his would awaken. He would stare at Lee with bleary yet stunning silvery eyes. And Lee would simply grin, receiving the softest, most beautiful tired smile in existence. A smile that Neji reserved for no one else. It would be perfect.

It was about this time during Lee's fantasy that he realized he had fallen in love.

But then Sasuke changed everything. Sasuke left; he felt his heart clench for both Sakura (the former love of his life and now one of Lee's dearest friends) and Naruto. He saw so much of his own team in Kakashi's three students. The two teams were living parallels and now, living foils. And as he watched Shikamaru, Kiba, Naruto, Choji, and Neji walk into the distance, Lee almost stopped breathing.

His instincts flared up. They told him to run after Neji, tie him down, and force him to stay back while the rest of the team found someone else to take his place, but the very idea of that was preposterous. For one thing, Lee could not walk, let alone run after the five, and the team had absolutely no time to dawdle on something like finding a different teammate. Still, neither argument was what stopped Lee. No, what really stopped Lee was the fact that if he forced Neji to stay back, the brunette would hate him forever, and the taijutsu-specialist could not bear such a thing.

So, he let his lovely Hyuuga go. He watched with unbearable anxiety as Neji walked out of sight. Deep inside, he knew that Neji would not be coming back. As he watched his Neji leave, he remembered something important. It was a small memory, but one of incomparable significance. It was the one memory he had of Neji's smile. His true smile, not just his arrogant, "holier-than-thou" sneer.

Neji had not realized that day that someone was following him. Lee had been out, and it was in town that he saw Neji walk past him dazedly. The brunette had a dreamy, spaced-out look as he walked through the village, barely noticing when he bumped into people. His eyes were glazed over, and he did not bat an eyelash when Lee waved jubilantly. Instead, he merely walked past Lee with that far-off expression, carrying a plastic bag full of God-knows-what.

Lee had been worried. Neji was the type that never missed a beat. For him to be that spacey…something was up. The black-haired boy followed Neji to his destination: the large stone epitaph on the outskirts of Konoha. Lee watched as the brunette sat down beside the epitaph, taking out a plate of homemade onigirifrom the plastic bag. Lee got closer, close enough to hear the brunette's soft, melancholy voice; he was concerned with the fact that Neji neglected to notice his presence.

The Hyuuga sighed, looking up towards the sky, towards infinity. That's when Lee saw it. Neji was smiling. No, not just smiling, he was _glowing_. His entire face softened, making him look his own age for once. His lips curved up slightly, but his mouth was slightly agape, showing those glimmering pearly-white teeth. And those opalescent eyes, they had such a gentle look to them, and yet, there was a pensiveness. Softly, Neji's mouth formed words: "Happy birthday, Chichiue."

Lee felt weak in the knees. His heart ached for his favorite brunette as he watched on solemnly. He wanted so bad to comfort the mourning Neji, to hold him. Lee wanted to be able to let Neji rest his head on the black-haired boy's shoulder, for him to know that he was protected, safe with Lee. Even so, the taijutsu-specialist stayed where he was; he dared not violate the sanctity of this intimate moment. He merely stood still and listened.

Neji sat down with his back to the epitaph, still looking up towards the sky. "I made your favorite, but I guess I'll just have to eat it for the both of us." With a soft, whispered "Itadakimasu" Neji began slowly nibbling at the onigiri. It was obvious that the boy had no appetite, but he ate nonetheless (he was, as Lee already knew, a stickler for tradition after all).

The brunette sat there tranquilly until sunset. He seemed something reminiscent of a Buddhist idol. Lee watched the entire time, not able to find it in him to leave the serene yet melancholy site. The plate of onigiri remained virtually uneaten. At one point, a few birds swooped down from above, but Neji did not seem to mind; he just threw some onigiri into the grass for them to enjoy. Finally, as the last dying embers of the sun began to fade away, Neji quickly collected his things and stood.

He began to walk, that dreamy, out-of-sorts expression still overtaking his face. Lee, however, began to panic as the opalescent-eyed boy strolled right towards him. Deciding that the best course of action was to be as truthful as possible (leaving out certain details, of course), Lee stood in plain view of Neji. Neji barely noticed. In fact, he did not seem to even note Lee's presence until he had walked straight into the taijutsu-specialist. The brunette nearly fell over, unbalanced, but Lee quickly steadied him. Neji stared up at the black-haired boy with wide pearl-like eyes.

"L-lee," he stammered, more surprised than angry, "when…how…what are you doing here?" Lee stared at the other with concerned onyx orbs. Neji was acting so…unNeji-like. The taijutsu-specialist wondered if it was because Hizashi was on Neji's mind, or perhaps it was something else. Even through his worry, Lee managed a small smile.

"I was just passing through when I saw you here, Neji-kun. I did not want to intrude, so I just stood here. You did not seem yourself, and I wanted to make sure that you were all right." Neji seemed shocked to say the least. His eyes grew ever wider.

"Thank you," he whispered; had Lee not been listening, he probably would not have even heard Neji speak. The brunette seemed almost frail at the moment. It was at this point that Lee realized that he had grown taller than his "rival". It made Lee feel stronger in a way, closer to his goal almost. He capitalized on this newfound courage and put a firm hand on Neji's shoulder.

"Neji-kun, may I take you home? You seem a bit spacey, and I would not want you to get lost." Lee hoped to God that Neji would not take that last comment the wrong way. On any other day, the brunette probably would have, but on that day, Neji had merely shook his head.

"That's okay. I don't feel much like going home just yet." Lee's brow furrowed. He could not even conceive of letting his poor brunette wander around in this state. He had barely noticed Lee when he was standing right in front of him. God only knows what would happen if he managed to meander his way out of the village.

"May I take you to my home then?" Neji blinked, unable to hide his confusion. Lee merely chuckled. "I mean to say, would you like to spend the night at my apartment?" Lee's underlying meaning being, "Can I help you escape from your family for the night?" Neji stared up at Lee with surprised white eyes, mouth agape, but nonetheless he nodded.

"Are you sure, Lee?" A nod in turn. "Thank you," he murmured a second time, eyes to the ground. Lee merely grinned.

"Of course, Neji-kun. What are friends for?" Neji's head swam at the word "friend." Lee considered Neji to be his friend? After all that Neji had done and said to him? It was too much. Such boundless kindness Lee had. It was almost unbearable. Sometimes, it felt as though Lee only did such wonderful things for Neji, no one else. Not even Gai. It made the brunette feel weak-kneed, dizzy.

Neji fell against a tree, taken aback by his sudden lack of strength. He felt so very faint. Immediately, Lee rushed to his side. "Neji-kun!" he cried, helping the brunette to the forest floor. "Are you all right? What is wrong? Speak to me!" Neji looked up at Lee with dazed, drowsy white eyes.

"Sorry, Lee. I just got dizzy all of the sudden…" Lee grew evermore concerned, unsure of what was ailing his poor Neji. But then, Lee noticed the faint flush on Neji's normally pale cheeks. Without hesitating, he felt Neji's forehead.

"Oh, Neji-kun, you have a fever!" Neji gazed at Lee, eyes hazy.

"Oh…do I?" He did not seem very shocked at the thought; he merely continued to stare up at Lee.

"Yes," Lee continued. "It is not very high, but it is probably why you have been acting strangely. I can get you some medicine-"

Neji shook his head. "No, Lee, it's a stress-fever." Lee cocked his head, showing his confusion. Sighing softly, the brunette continued, "I get fevers when I'm stressed or worried. I have since I was very young. Don't worry too much; it'll go away with some sleep."

Lee observed his poor Neji, feverish and exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to sit down and pull the sweet brunette into his lap. Then, he would gently stroke his dark umber locks, lulling him to sleep with his soft ministrations. From there, he would carry his Neji home, like a newlywed bride, and pamper the Hyuuga until his fever broke. However, even Lee knew that such was a pipedream. Neji would never let himself be coddled, so Lee decided on a less extreme route. He helped the brunette up, steadying him with an arm around his waist. "Let us go, Neji-kun." Neji blinked, but nodded dumbly.

Even though the walk home was not nearly up to par with Lee's fantasy, the taijutsu-specialist was still in Heaven the entire time. For one thing, he had an arm around Neji's lean waist, but the better part was that Neji leaned into him, his head resting on Lee's broad shoulder. The black-haired boy was absolutely on cloud nine. He took his time, allowing Neji to conserve his strength, but eventually, they made it back to Lee's apartment. At this point, Neji was half-asleep in Lee's arms. Lee smiled softly.

"Come on, Neji-kun," he murmured. "We are home." Lee led Neji up the stairs to his apartment; he was carrying almost all of Neji's weight as well as his own. By the time that the two had reached the door, Neji was practically asleep.

Lee fumbled with his keys for a bit before finally opening the door. Since the two were no longer in public, Lee figured that Neji would not mind being carried as much. He lifted the brunette up, and as expected, the boy made no reaction. He carried the Hyuuga to his room where he gently laid his Neji on the bed, pulling the covers over him. From there, Lee only once left his side to get a damp washcloth to put over Neji's forehead.

"Lee…thank you," Neji managed drowsily. Unable to stop himself, Lee placed the softest of kisses on Neji's temple. The brunette did not seem to notice.

"Shh, try to get some sleep, Neji-kun." Neji did not need to be told twice.

Lee had stayed watching over Neji all night. In the morning, when Neji had awoken, the brunette had not remembered being taken to Lee's house. Lee had had to tell Neji what had occurred that night. The brunette responded with a soft, "Oh." Then, the two parted ways, and neither spoke of that day ever again. Still, Lee held that memory close as he watched Neji walk away from him to rescue Sasuke, perhaps never to return again. It was one of the best memories that he had of Neji, and Lee could only hope that the brunette would return home to him, only to make better memories.

That was before he had found the brunette.

Lee remembered running to assist the others in battle. His leg and arm were killing him (as he had just got out of surgery earlier that day), but he ignored the pain, knowing that the five needed all the help that they could get.

As Lee chased after them, he noticed two battlefields, but he simply passed them, knowing that Neji would kill him if he stopped before finding Sasuke. So, he went on, found Naruto and aided him, only to need help himself. Gaara had helped him there. It was only after he watched helplessly as the redhead fought Kimimaro that he decided to turn back and find Neji. He had only waited twenty or so minutes, before he told Gaara that he could not stay still any longer. He told the Suna shinobi that there was someone that he needed to find.

It was almost ironic that after his conversation about love and reverence that Lee would want to find his Neji. Still, he could not help the emotions that had welled up inside him. Gaara had asked who he needed to find and why. Unable to think of a better response, Lee had murmured, "It is someone whom I love very much." Gaara unhesitatingly offered to assist in his search.

The two of them began to run at top speed back towards the battlefields that Lee had seen earlier. There was an unspoken understanding between the two shinobi. Both realized that they were far too worn out at this point to even dream of chasing after Naruto and Sasuke. Lee could tell that Gaara felt useless for not being to help his favorite blonde, and Gaara could tell that Lee felt useless for similar reasons.

Then, something incredible happened: Gaara stumbled.

Lee was in shock. This shinobi, whose power could be comparable only to a demi-god, a titan, had fallen. Chakra-deprivation was a fearsome foe indeed. Lee skidded to a halt before dashing over to check on his "ally" (Gaara would deny having a deeper relationship than that, but Lee liked to think that he had a friend in the Suna-nin). The redhead stared up at Lee with tired, half-lidded eyes. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

Lee knelt down, taking a good look his companion. Now, the taijutsu-specialist was no medic, but he could tell by the glassy look in Gaara's eyes, his ashen complexion, and slumped posture that the redhead was certainly struggling. "You go ahead without me," he continued. "I just need to rest." Lee smiled, shaking his head.

"You just do not get it, do you Gaara-kun?" The aforementioned raised a hairless brow. "I know that it sounds strange, but I will not leave a friend behind, no matter what. You are coming along even if I have to carry you." The redhead blinked in disbelief. However, before he could get another word in, Lee had grabbed Gaara's hand, pulled the smaller boy onto his back, and began to run. The only sound being Gaara's sudden cry of "_LEE_!!!"

The two continued onwards, a bit faster than before since they did not have to worry about Gaara running out of chakra. Still, Lee continued at little more than a jog. His limbs remained heavy and sluggish from the surgery. And getting into a fight with Orochimaru's best guard certainly did not help. Finally, an area filled with damaged trees tipped them off that a battle had occurred there. Lee had a bad feeling.

The black-haired boy slowed to a trot as he scanned the forest for signs of life. There did not appear to be any; perhaps the fight had moved. "Do you see anything, Gaara-kun?" Lee asked hesitantly. Gaara did not respond immediately, which unnerved Lee greatly.

"Lee," he began finally, "what's that?" he pointed to two figures, silhouettes in the distance. They were only meters apart, but neither figure appeared to be moving.

"Oh no," Lee gasped. He dashed over to the spot, fearing the worst. And the worst it was. For there, there lay Neji. The taijutsu-specialist stopped dead in his tracks, as he stared at Neji's pale unmoving body. There were two monstrous holes, one in his chest and the other in his abdomen. He watched in terror as Neji's red blood, the fluid that kept him living, breathing, oozed out of the wounds, almost seeming to taunt Lee. Neji's forehead-protector had been stripped off his head, revealing that evergreen seal. His hair was strewn about him, the tie long ago snapped and forgotten. Seeming to complete the picture was a single white feather fallen delicately into his hand. Worst of all, was his pained, almost sorrowful expression. Neji was far from at peace.

Lee had not realized that Gaara had left his back until that moment, nor did he realize that he had fallen to his knees, as tears threatened to fall. "Ne…ji…kun," he managed, unable to come to grips with the situation.

"Lee," the redhead called, next to the other figure. "this one's dead." Had Lee been less overwhelmed, he would have chuckled. Gaara did have a way of being almost repulsively blunt. But, Lee said nothing; he merely gazed at Neji's still form, detached from reality. He did not notice as the Suna-nin approached him.

Gaara looked from Lee to Neji. From one glance, he could tell that poor Lee was mourning. He knew of mourning, only experienced it once, but he had seen it. He had a feeling that Lee was fairly incapacitated with grief. Gaara did not think that Lee could move anymore. He sighed. The redhead knew that there was no way that he could carry both Lee and Neji, but the Suna-nin had one more move left in him.

Before Lee knew it, he was riding on a gargantuan cloud of sand, with Neji in his lap. He briefly looked to Gaara, in front of him. The poor redhead had his eyes closed in pure strain. Lee had no idea how his companion was managing such a flashy maneuver when he had barely enough chakra to stand earlier. All that he was sure of was that Lee owed Gaara _big time_, and Rock Lee always repays his debts.

Once the three of them made it to Konoha's gates, Gaara's sand dissipated. Lee pulled Neji's limp body into his arms, and he and Gaara sprinted to the hospital, where they were met with a team of nurses who took Neji from him. Lee could only watch as the nurses left the room with his Neji. There was absolutely nothing more that he could do. Waiting.

The strangest of noises met Lee's ears. Panting. Heavy panting. The kind that Lee himself was known to do after an extremely rough training session with Gai-sensei. He looked to his left, only to find that the source of the harsh breathing was none other than Sabaku no Gaara. Lee's eyes widened. It was a welcomed distraction from Neji's probable mortality.

"Gaara-kun," he cried. "Are you all right?" The redhead continued to pant, holding his chest, milky blue eyes wide with pain. He nodded through his tremors.

"I-" But Gaara could say no more. His mouth opened and closed once more before the Suna-nin simply swooned.

"Gaara-kun!" Lee managed to catch his redheaded companion before he hit the ground. "Chakra exhaustion," the black-haired boy said more to himself than his friend. "You need rest, Gaara-kun. Where can I take you to lie down?" Lee was almost frantic. Now he had two friends in trouble, though Gaara would most likely be all right with a long sleep.

"Can't," the redhead slurred. "Sh-shukaku." Lee's brows furrowed.

"Shu…what?"

"I can't sleep, Lee." Lee was confused, but did not pry. What was Shukaku, and what on earth did that have to do with sleeping? There was so much happening at once; it was almost crippling to think of all of the different predicaments. Lee decided that the best method was to focus on one problem at a time, and the most immediate one was Gaara.

"What can I do, Gaara-kun? I will do anything; just say the word." The redhead's eyes drooped.

"I dunno," he murmured. " 'S'never happened before." Lee panicked. He had absolutely no idea what to do for Gaara. Whenever Neji or Tenten had chakra-exhaustion, Lee would take their watch at night and let them get extra rest, but Gaara could not sleep; there was no way for him to replenish his chakra system.

It was at that moment that the head nurse (aside from Tsunade and Shizune) decided to come outside to shout at the two boys for loitering outside of the hospital. Lee had never felt so relieved. She was an old, stern woman with much training. Perhaps she knew what to do for Gaara. Lee began telling her their story, but as soon as he mentioned the word "Shukaku," the old nurse paled before nodding, a serious and determined expression on her face. She knelt down over Gaara right then and there, her wrinkled hands glowing with blue chakra.

"What are you doing, Ma'am?" Lee asked as gently and politely as possible.

"Refueling his chakra circulatory system in a manner of speaking," she explained without a second glance at Lee. "He can't be allowed to sleep, which would be the usual treatment for chakra-exertion, so I must forcibly replenish his chakra myself." Lee nodded, understanding somewhat. The woman seemed cold and harsh, but Lee could tell that she truly cared for every patient.

It took quite a bit (Gaara's chakra reserves were indeed plentiful), and eventually, the nurse had told him that he would recover over time, even without sleep. She went on to explain that she had nowhere near enough chakra to fully replenish his and that Gaara would have to stay off his feet for a few days. With that, she had admitted him to the hospital and had helped him to a vacant room.

That had been three days ago, and now, Lee finally made it to the hospital. He hoped to see Gaara and his Neji, to make sure that they were still all right. Perhaps he would even stop in to see Naruto. Lee opened the main doors only to find the ER staff in a frenzy. They were running all over, checking every nook and cranny for something, almost hysterically. Lee blinked, confused. What on Earth could they be looking for?

Then, the taijutsu-specialist recognized the head nurse from the other day; he stopped her. "Excuse me, Ma'am? Um, what is going on?" She raised an eyebrow before gasping with realization.

"Ah, you're the boy who brought in Gaara, are you not?" Lee simply nodded. "Well, it seems we've lost a patient. Oh, when I get my hands on the nurse who was supposed to be on duty, there will be hell to pay!" Lee decided that this was one nurse that he should not piss off. Still, he began to worry, wondering who the patient could be. Was it one of his friends? An idea came to mind.

"Is it Gaara-kun?" Gaara did not seem like the type of person who would like being cooped up in a hospital bed. Still, even if it was him, his chakra-depletion must have healed by then. What on Earth could have the staff so frantic?

The nurse shook her head. "No, not Gaara. He was discharged yesterday. No, this patient was in critical condition, and he was only just truly stabilized last night. That's why the staff is so panicked." Lee's heart began rapidly pounding. He knew of only one person in critical condition with enough gall to do something like this. Even so, he could not help but to keep thinking, _"Please be Choji. Please be Choji. Please be Choji."_ The nurse continued, "I believe his name is Hyuuga Neji."

Lee was off. He ran as fast as he could. Where could Neji have gone? Where on Earth would that stupid, reckless Hyuuga go? Lee kept running, even though he had no idea where he was going. He could only remember one place that the Hyuuga would go, and he could only pray that Neji had gone there. Before he knew it, Lee had run through the forest and found himself in front of the giant stone epitaph just outside of the village. A bandaged-up, longhaired brunette sat there, clothed only in a hospital gown. His back was to the epitaph as he leaned against it, just as he had been the last time Lee had seen him there.

Lee felt no remorse as he marched over to the Hyuuga and sat himself down next to the brunette. All he could bring himself to say was, "Baka." Neji looked up at him in an odd sort of haze, but said nothing. His eyes were glazed over and peculiarly pained, melancholy. It made Lee want to pull Neji into a soft embrace, to stroke his hair, comfort him. The black-haired boy settled for the next best thing. He gently brushed a silky coffee brown lock out of Neji's pearl-like eyes and tucked it behind his ear. "Baka," he repeated softly. "I was so worried." At first, Neji said nothing in response; he was silent with a morose aura. The brunette refused to meet his teammate's determined onyx eyes.

Then, Neji let out a soft sigh with that lovely baritone voice of his. Lee nearly melted as the Hyuuga gently rested his bandaged head on the black-haired boy's shoulder. He again, said nothing as Lee absentmindedly slipped his arm around Neji's waist, pulling him against his muscled abdomen. Neji seemed to only lean closer, eyes barely open. Lee so badly wanted to kiss him just then, even if it was only a small peck to those soft brown locks, but for Neji's sake, he restrained himself. The silence continued further, until the taijutsu-specialist simply could not take anymore. "Neji-kun-" But the brunette cut him off.

"Lee," he called, barely above a whisper. Oh how the aforementioned loved the way his name simply rolled off of Neji's tongue. "Please," he continued in a high, dreamy tone. "Just call me Neji." He suspired again, allowing his face to be caressed by the warmth of Lee's collarbone. Lee smiled softly at the gesture.

"Neji it is then." It felt so right for Neji's name to stand alone. Simple and informal, yet perfect in every way. Neji's eyes closed in contentment, but still, he began to shiver.

"Lee, you're warm," he managed softly. Lee recognized this behavior immediately. He smiled fondly, with a strange sort of sadness, as he gently maneuvered his free hand to Neji's forehead. As he removed his hand, he placed a soft kiss where it had been, knowing that poor Neji would probably remember none of this when his fever broke.

"Shhh, you have another stress fever, Neji," he murmured lovingly. Neji mumbled something in response, but it was unintelligible. "It is a pretty bad one too." Lee began mindlessly stroking the brunette's soft, pale cheek. "Will you tell me what it is that is bothering you so much?" He knew that the brunette must have truly been distressed to have given himself such a high fever, and his wounds certainly did not help the process. Neji looked up at Lee with bleary pearl-like eyes. It was obvious that his mind was hazy.

"Lee?" Lee gave Neji another soft smile.

"Yes?" He moved his head slightly, nuzzling Lee in the process.

"What if it were me?" he uttered softly, suddenly. Lee gently brushed another lock behind Neji's ear.

"Hm?" Neji again looked up; this time, his eyes were exhausted and sickly, but also strangely scared.

"Couldn't that've just as easily been me 'stead of Sasuke?" His words were slurred with fatigue, but he got his point across just fine. Lee paused, unsure of what to say. "Why not me? What if I turn into that too? What if I leave Konoha for power, make Tenten cry, an' punch a hole in your chest?" Lee pulled Neji into a hug.

"Shhh, you do not know what you are saying. You would never do such a thing. The fever is messing with your brain." The brunette closed his eyes, allowing Lee's unique warmth and scent wash over him. Everything was so fuzzy, so hot. He leaned onto Lee, falling limp in his arms. The warmth was intoxicating.

"We're so similar," he continued. "Sasuke and I. Both driven by revenge, him for his clan, me against mine. So angry, so dark. Lee, what if one day Orochimaru offers me a cure for my curse mark? What will I do?" Lee softly kissed Neji's deep umber tresses again.

"You will decline without a second thought," the black-haired boy whispered without hesitation. Neji thought that he was about to burst with heat. He felt strangely close to vomiting.

"Will I?" he managed.

"Yes," Lee continued. "Neji, you forget that there is one major difference between you and Sasuke-kun." The brunette looked up as if to say, "Go on." Lee smiled. "Both of you fought Naruto-kun, but only Hyuuga Neji found the strength to admit his wrongs and change. And that is why, were you in Sasuke's position, you would have stayed in Konoha." Lee heard Neji take in a sharp shaky breath as he bit back tears.

"Lee," he uttered softly. "I don't feel so well." Lee nodded.

"Shh, I know. You are very ill, Neji. Let me take you back to the hospital." Neji shook his head slowly, weakly.

"I don't feel much like going back there right now," he managed. Lee smiled through his worry.

"At least let me take you to my apartment so that you may rest." The brunette, at first, made no response.

"All right," he whispered finally. With that affirmation, Lee stood, helping Neji to his feet and steadying him with an arm around the waist. The Hyuuga was shaky; he could hardly stand on his own. As soon as they took a step forward, the feverish boy stumbled. Lee swiftly caught him, looking at the brunette with concerned onyx eyes. " 'M sorry, Lee," he slurred out. " 'M such a burden."

"Oh, Neji," Lee murmured tenderly, "you are never a burden." He hoisted the brunette up so that he was level with his chest, and stood, carrying Neji like a newlywed bride. He placed a tender kiss on Neji's forehead. "Now, try to get some rest; I will take us home." Neji closed his eyes but did not sleep. He was trapped in a strange state of limbo, too sick to sleep and too sick to stay awake. He only found solace in Lee's steady heartbeat. It was fast, but remained constant and grounding. For once, Neji allowed himself to think of nothing, a luxury that he had avoided for years and years.

Neji felt as Lee brought the brunette up to his apartment and laid him ever so gently on the bed. "Lee…" he murmured as the aforementioned placed a cool rag on his forehead. He could almost hear the smile in Lee's voice.

"Yes, Neji?" Neji moaned, unable to find the strength to speak at first.

"Lie with me," he managed finally. Lee could not believe his ears at first. He knew that he must have been dreaming. The real Hyuuga Neji would _never_ ask such a thing of him, even within the depths of a fever dream. When the taijutsu-specialist did not respond, Neji spoke again. "Please, Lee," he admonished. Lee's eyes softened as he gazed into feverish but pleading white eyes. Such pretty eyes. Lee wanted so badly to hold this moment in his arms, but it would seem that he would have to settle for dream-Neji instead.

Lee climbed into bed beside the brunette, only to be shocked beyond speechless as Neji curled close to Lee. The black-haired boy could not stop the dreamy, almost giddy smile that overtook his face as he wrapped his arms around the Hyuuga. Neji did not push Lee away, he merely sighed longingly.

Lee was never more content in his entire life. He had the most gorgeous creature in the universe in his arms, and that was all that mattered. Still, he could not help but notice the way Neji seemed to tense up. To make matters worse, he felt something wet his shirt. His Neji was crying. "Neji? What is wrong?" he asked softly. Neji just continued to sob softly, voice breathy.

"Lee, don't…don't ever leave me alone," he managed in a shaky, almost enervated voice. Lee felt an odd melancholy rise in him. He wanted so badly to take away all of Neji's pain, but old scars ran so deep, as deep as the fresh ones that now marred his perfect abdomen.

"Oh, my Neji," he murmured, "I would not leave you for anything, even my nindo." He absentmindedly began playing with Neji's soft coffee brown locks. "Now try to sleep, the fever is making you think very silly things." Lee watched as half-lidded pearl-like eyes began to shut. Neji stared at him with such dazed but stunning eyes. "You are so beautiful, Neji." The brunette curled closer to Lee, body shaking from fever. Watching that gorgeous Hyuuga inch closer gave Lee the final bit of courage that he needed.

He leaned down and kissed Neji's lovely, soft lips. It only lasted a second, and Neji barely responded, but for Lee it was enough for a lifetime. As they pulled apart, the white-eyed boy nuzzled his way into the crook of Lee's neck where he finally settled himself. His breath began to even out.

"Neji?" The brunette nodded into Lee's neck, his overheated skin nearly burning the places in which their skin connected. "I promise to protect you forever," he claimed, finally feeling strong enough to live out his goal. "I love you, my Neji." He felt Neji sigh.

"Lee," he managed. The addressed lightly pecked Neji's bandaged forehead.

"Let me protect you from everything that wants to hurt you." He felt as Neji's leftover tears evaporated against his skin. "Even you," he added softly. "Neji, let me heal you."

The brunette made no response, but he gently grasped one of Lee's hands moving it to rest near Neji's heart, where one of his most recent scars remained, defacing otherwise flawless porcelain skin.

Lee smiled sadly. He fell asleep as well, listening to Neji's rhythmic breathing. His last thought being a prayer to every deity known to man that the brunette would recall this conversation when he awoke in the morning and accept Lee's promise of a lifetime.

***The sequel's out! Read it if you have time! **


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